


Take A Leap, I Promise You Won't Fall

by Oldfoe (If_I_Say_Light)



Category: Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice
Genre: F/F, First Kiss, Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital (Grey's Anatomy), Mentioned Cristina Yang, Mentioned Miranda Bailey, Pre-Relationship, i may continue this, should i?, somewhere in time before season 16?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:14:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27875901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/If_I_Say_Light/pseuds/Oldfoe
Summary: Addison Montgomery had somehow managed to not change at all in more than two years time.The last time she had seen her had been at Derek's funeral, they hadn't had much of a reunion back then.Both too busy looking everywhere but each other.
Relationships: Addison Montgomery & Amelia Shepherd, Maggie Pierce & Amelia Shepherd, Meredith Grey & Maggie Pierce & Amelia Shepherd, Meredith Grey/Addison Montgomery, Teddy Altman/Amelia Shepherd
Comments: 29
Kudos: 78





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is the first Addison/Meredith fic I write.  
> I hope you enjoy it!  
> It might become multichapter in the future.  
> Don't like it? Don't read it!
> 
> English isn't my first language. Every mistake it's mine. I don't own anything.  
> Enjoy! Please comment and leave a kudos!

“You're sending it now? As in today?”

“That is usually what now means. Thou time difference, for me it'll be tomorrow.”

“Cristina it's a non-emergent case. We're full and still missing a Head of OB.”

“ Don't worry about that, I took care of it.”

“ I think you're taking this whole bossy matchmaker thing a little too seriously.”

“You might be right about that. No, I just thought about it, you aren't, I am.”

Meredith laughed and rolled her eyes. She missed her friend too much sometimes.

“ At least can you tell me who is it that you're sending this time?”

“No need Mer. You'll be pleased. Gotta go now, interns are incompetent everywhere.”

“ You could always delegate.”

“ But then I wouldn't get a chance to yell at them.”

“ You're evil. Bye”

“Look who's talking, Bye _Medusa.”_

Meredith smirked and hung up. She headed to Bailey's office. Whoever it was that Cristina had sent maybe they could steal them. They _really_ needed a Head of OB who's side project didn't include orgasms. Not that she had anything against Carina. They just had too many cases for there not to be someone that could handle them.

\------------ ------------

“ Can you tell me what room Mrs. Ryth was put in?”

“Of course Doctor Grey.”

Meredith leaned against the nurse station. This high profile case needed a general surgeon to assist in the surgery. She was supposed to be meeting with the hotshot doctor Cristina had sent half an hour ago, but her surgery had run longer than she had expected and now she was late.

Bailey would kill her. So much for impressing wooing.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket. Checking it, she saw it was a text from Amelia in hers and Maggie's group chat. Something came up and she was canceling their lunch plans. She knew Maggie was still in surgery so answered back a quick okay.

“ Doctor Grey?”

“Yes?” she said turning her attention back to the nurse.

“Mrs. Ryth is in room 227. Dr. Montgomery is with her right now. Do you want me to inform them you're coming up?”

At first, she thought she had misheard. But she wouldn't just confuse that name with any others. Her brain wouldn't betray her like that.

“ No, it's fine. Thank you.”

She was still a little fazed. She got into the elevators on autopilot. All the while forcing her mind to comprehend the situation. Maybe she and Bailey could unite their forces and get away with murdering Cristina.

The ding of the elevator woke her up from her fantasies. She took a deep breath, put a smile on her face, and walked towards room 227.

She was gonna deal with this without losing her dignity in the process.

She waved at Jackson and Link, both passing that floor nurse station at that moment. Jackson cringed visibly. So maybe she had to bring the smile down a notch. A couple of notches.

She didn't even know why she was _so_ nervous.

She knocked twice on the door.

“ Come in.”

Addison Montgomery had somehow managed to not change at all in more than two years. The last time she had seen her had been at Derek's funeral, they hadn't had much of a reunion back then. Both too busy looking everywhere but each other.

“Dr. Grey, I'm glad you could join us today after all.”

t

Maybe Meredith had missed that voice a little. Snarky, kind, and soft at the same time.

“ Me too Dr. Montgomery. Welcome back.”

Addison rolled her eyes a little and laughed. “ Not back. But I do expect to be wooed,” she said turning to write something down on the chart.

“ I'll do my very best. And how are you feeling today Mrs. Ryth?”

The young woman smiled.

“I'm feeling very pregnant today. I'm hoping you both can help with that.”

Meredith smiled reassuringly while Addison huffed.

“Mrs. Ryth is 35 weeks pregnant set to deliver next week. She and the baby will both need surgery before that. I was told Doctor Pierce is the cardiothoracic surgeon assigned to the case?”

Meredith nodded. “Yes, she's in surgery right now but she'll join us when we do the pre-op exam.”

“Wonderful, then I'm all done for now Mrs. Ryth, Dr. Grey will probably want to take a look. I'll be outside.” the last part she said directly to Meredith. With a touch on the arm, Addison Montgomery was out of the room before Meredith could even digest her presence in it.

Composing herself quickly she smiled again. She put on her stethoscope and gave her a quick exam “Have you experienced any abdominal, back, or chest pain in the last few hours Mrs. Ryth?”

“Thankfully no, these pillows are almost as comfortable as the helicopter.”

She laughed. “ Well, everything looks good for now. Page me if you need anything. I'll see you before surgery.” she excused herself.

“Bye, dear.”

Finally out of the room she stopped just beside Addison, who was waiting for her texting on her phone.

“You could've called, Cristina acted so mysteriously I almost believed she was sending an actual god here.”

The redhead laughed and put the phone down. “ Where would've been the fun in that. Your face was almost worth the collapsed lungs Amelia gave me.”

“Ah, so you are her new lunch plans.”

She smiled softly.

“ Did I manage to steal her away from you?”

“You did, so I'll tell you what why don't you face Maggie's wrath. She takes it personally when someone messes with our family-date”

“ Oh well in that case, why don't you join us? Amelia and I had plenty of time to catch up this morning and I'm sure we'll have more these weeks.”

“Sure. I'll see you in the cafeteria?”

“I'll be there. Nice seeing you Dr. Grey” Addison smiled mockingly.

“I have to agree Dr. Montgomery.”

With a last smile and her lunch plans revolted again, Meredith walked away. She had to find Maggie and Amelia. Inform the first and reprimand the second for not giving her heads up.

Addison Montgomery found her unprepared once more.

She was really starting to mind fate, destiny, or whatever force kept doing this to her.

Or so she said.

\------------ ------------

The doors of the elevator opened revealing Teddy.

“ Hey!”

“Hey.”

The blonde answered. Then when the elevator doors were about to close turned toward Meredith again and asked “ Have you seen...?”

“HOLD IT!” Amelia's voice interrupted her and Teddy quickly reached to block the doors.

“Thank you,” Amelia said, stopping to look at them and swallow before taking position beside Meredith.

Was she getting a signal that wasn't there or was Amelia also afraid of Teddy?

“ Are you going to Maggie? I'm heading there before surgery.”

“Our trauma patient?” Teddy butted in before Meredith could answer the brunette.

“Yes. There were some complications.”

“ Okay, I'll get in there with you.”

“There's no need-” "It's my patient Amelia.”

Then silence. Awkward silence over something more than a patient. Or so she guessed.

“ Yes, I'm going to see Maggie. You should come too we need to talk about lunch”

She smiled falsely so that Amelia understood.

She frowned.

Yes, Meredith was upset and yes she was gonna make this hard.

“Okay,” Amelia said prolonging the last letters a bit.

Finally, the doors opened again.

“Come on.”

Amelia trailed behind her frowning all along like some kind of beaten puppy.

“Hey! What are you guys doing here? Wait weren't we supposed to meet the fetal surgeon?”

“I did. I told her we'd see her in pre-op. Then she invited us to lunch and since Amelia had already bailed on us for her I said yes. You don't mind right?”

“Addie invited you to lunch?” “Amelia was planning on bailing?”

They both said at the same time.

“Yes, it seems today she woke up with a mean streak.”

“Oh come on, so I forgot to tell you about Addie, big deal.” She said trying to downplay the whole thing.

“I don't think you forgot Amelia.”

“ Scout honor,”

“You were never a scout.” Maggie intervened.

Amelia glared at her.

“Who's Addie anyway, This fetal surgeon?”

“Addison Montgomery”

Meredith answered.

“As in that Addison Montgomery? Amelia!”

“It's not a big deal!”

“If you dead husband ex-wife with which you have complicated history shows up and your sister doesn't tell you about it, it's a big deal!”

“Thank you, Maggie” Meredith nodded and glared at Amelia with her I-told-you-so- look. Amelia hated being on the receiving end of that look.

The brunette pager went off. “ It's the trauma, they need me I have to go. Maggie will you walk with me please?.”

Confused Maggie squeezed Meredith's Hand and did as told.

“I'm not gonna say you're right because you want me to”

“I don't want you to. You'll understand I am at lunch. Which we will both be very late to by the way.

“I'm hungry right now.”

“Trust me, if you wanna do what's best for Meredith you'll listen to me.”

“You know what's best for Meredith?” Maggie asked skeptically.

“In this particular and peculiar case, I do. I'm calling sister pact.”

“You can't call sister pact on this.” “I am.”

\------------ ------------

Meredith had been paging both of her sisters incessantly to the attendings' lounge, but neither of them had bothered answering her once. They were supposed to meet there together and head to the cafeteria. Or so said the text she had checked out at least twenty-four times in the past ten minutes.

She didn't understand why she was feeling anxious again, the meeting with Addison had gone well, the conversation wasn't awkward in the least.

Deciding she couldn't wait for her sisters anymore she decided to go by herself. Maybe they were already there, waiting for her.

As she was about to get out of the room Addison walked in.

“Hi, I was just about to go to the cafeteria.”

Addison smiled.

“Well in that case why don't we both go outside instead? I've been here all day and it's quite a change from those sunny L.A. beaches.”

“Sure, let's go. But I thought you had moved away from L.A.”

“Yes, I did.”

Seeing the redhead wasn't going to expand or explain on her own she said laughing “Well where did you go?”

Addison looked away, they had just reached the lobby.

She said something but it was too low for Meredith to catch any letters.

“What?” she asked confused

“Zurich. I said Zurich.”

“Oh” Meredith stopped walking.

She let the redhead answer sink in before she spoke again.

“Oh,” she started walking again.

“About a year ago we moved there. Cristina helped a bit. Quite a lot. But as much as they want to they're not equipped for what I do. The best neonatal hospital is on the other side of the country. This is one of the biggest cases I've had in months. Still, I didn't want to move Henry again until I knew I could stay for a while. And then Cristina told me about the opening here in Seattle. So I came here to see exactly how much of a possibility that was.”

She had said it all with her soft and guilty voice while somehow managing to keep up with her.

“So I wasn't lying about the wooing,” she said trying to light up the mood.

Meredith looked at her.

“ Okay,” she said.

“Okay?” Addison repeated.

“Well, I'm gonna need a little more time to process all that. Including the fact that my best friend has been lying to me for a year. But for now, I guess it's okay.”

“Okay,” Addison said, still a bit skeptical.

Meredith turned her head to the side. “Stop saying that.”

This time Addison laughed. “Okay”

Meredith rolled her eyes and then guided Addison towards the line to the sandwich cart.

While they were waiting for their lunch, Maggie and Amelia passed by, lunch trays in their hands, they were laughing and hadn't yet noticed them.

They grabbed their sandwiches and made their way towards their table, silently. Maggie saw them first since she was facing them. She started coughing up on the bite of food she had just taken and looked intensely at Amelia trying to convey the message.

The brunette only thought her sister was suffocating and while she was about to stand up two perfectly manicured hands pushed her back down. Addison lowered her head Smiling with a thousand-watt smile, so fake it almost blinded Amelia on the spot.

“Addie,” Amelia said trying to save herself.

Maggie who in the meantime had managed to swallow turned toward Meredith who was sitting down beside her

“We were _just_ about to page you...”

“Yes!” Amelia confirmed smiling guiltily “Where _were_ you guys?”

Addison sat down in front of Meredith and they exchanged a look.

“Hmm,” the redhead mumbled accusingly.

“We were where we'd said we'd be. How about _you_ guys?”

“We were just in the cafeteria:” Maggie said smiling dumbly with her lips tightly shut.

“Yes,” Amelia said again “ We were.”

“It's fine. We're all here now and we're having lunch together.”

“Yay,” Amelia excitedly said, this time almost completely free of fake happiness.

The conversation had just started. Meredith filling in Maggie on the case and Addison putting her phone out to show photos of Henry to Amelia. When Teddy Altman cam running towards them.

“ Amelia our guy is crushing, they're cracking his chest right now. We'll need you in OR3 in an hour:”

“Thank you!” Amelia said, but Teddy was already too far away to ear.

“Well I've got fifteen minutes, try to squash in as much baby talk as you can.”

“Or” Meredith suggested. “You could tell us what's going with you and Teddy.”

“Yesss” Maggie agreed “I've been trying to get it out of you for days. It's been surprisingly hard”

“What?” Amelia said a little too loudly for her to not know what they were talking about.

“Teddy” she laughed “Me and Teddy” she made a dumb face that sent the alarm to all of their lie detectors.

“That's just- That's just ridiculous. Me and Teddy. Pfft”

“The lady doth protests too much,” Said Addison now actually interested.

“Beep. Beep Heard that? Must be my trauma guy. They need me now.”

She got out of the bench.

“Amelia!”

“Pages come first. Bye!”

They all laughed. Maggie bit on her fries. “We need a sistervention.”

“Maggie you're exaggerating” Meredith protested

“You might have noticed that only today but it's been going on for a week. Neuro, cardio, and trauma go hand in hand, and surgery with those two is hell.”

Meredith huffed.

Addison's pager started beeping followed by Meredith's “Mrs. Ryth”

They quickly got up.

“Tonight!” yelled Maggie at their retreating forms.

\------------ ------------

“Good Work, Back there. It was a pleasure working with you Dr. Montgomery.”

Addison smiled. “Thank you, Dr. Pierce. The pleasure was all mine.”

Maggie walked out of and there, left scrubbing out in silence were Meredith and Addison.

“So Weeks uh? As in you're here for more than just this one?”

Meredith asked. Referring to the part of their previous conversation that had been stuck into her head ever since.

“ Yes, Henry and I are looking around. Considering our options. We have different priorities though. My interest is in real estate while he's more worried about hot dogs and parks to play at.”

Meredith laughed.

“Well, I know what that's like.”

They smiled.

“I'm glad this went so well.” Addison said “That it wasn't...awkward.” she continued.

“Yeah” Meredith turned to look at her and smiled. “Yeah, me too.”

They were looking at each other. Each studying the other face after so long. Meredith's hair was different, a little longer and messier. Her smile got deeper every time she saw her. As if the tragedies that happened between their meetings stretched it more and more.

She looked good. Older and more beautiful if it was possible. The ways she held herself was more confident, during surgery she had seemed so sure of herself. As if she knew everything that could go wrong, and knew exactly how to fix it. For a moment she had remained enchanted by that sight.

Both their eyes dropped to the other's lips. Addison rested a hand on the sink and turned to face Meredith completely.

The blonde followed her movements. There was something in the air between them Heavier this time. But it felt freeing. No fear, no judgment, just them, existing around each other.

Somehow the space between them seemed to get smaller and smaller.

They were breathing hard, almost perfectly synchronized.

Meredith's pager went off, interrupting the moment.

Addison coughed, smiled a bit awkwardly. “You should probably take that. I'll see you later.”

One last weird smile and Meredith was left alone in the scrub room.

She blinked. What had just happened?

What would've happened if her pager hadn't interrupted them?

She shook her head. She couldn't continue with that line of thinking. It wouldn't do her any good.

\------------ ------------

Now Meredith understood what Maggie was saying before.

“If I don't go in immediately her brain will swell and no one will _care_ about her abdomen because she'll be dead!” Amelia screamed.

“She'll die anyway if we don't take care of her lungs and the blood in her belly!” Teddy yelled back.

Working with them was hell. “Ten blade.” they both said

She huffed.

“You're being ridiculous. I'll take care of the belly, you can take care of the lungs and Amelia can go ahead and open up her skull.”

“She'll bleed out if we do that,” Teddy responded.

“She won't. We'll hang more blood and go from there.”

“Fine” The two doctors answered.

Children. It was like working with children. She already had three at home. She did not need this extra stress.

Sistervention it was.

She cringed at her thoughts. Her sisters were rubbing off on her too much.

Fifteen minutes later and the patient was crashing, Amelia and Teddy were yelling again.

“Can you two _stop_ arguing long enough to bring our patient back or do you need to step out?”

“Excuse me?!” Teddy glared at her. “I'm not the one who's being stubborn. We need to shock the patient!”

Meredith moved toward the crash cart and took the panels in her hands.”

“I agree so let me! Clear!” She said, Amelia, stepped away just in time.

“Are you kidding me?” her waves of anger revolted toward her this time

“Vitals are coming up.” she ignored her.

Babysitting wasn't in her contract.

\------------ ------------

“How did it go?” Addison asked from her seated position on the table inside the attending's lounge.

“If it lasted ten minutes longer I would be responsible for the murder of two people.” She answered tiredly and let herself fall on a chair.

“That bad uh?”

“Worse” Meredith rested her head on the table. She turned towards the redhead and noticed Addison had her glasses on, a chart in her right hand.

“How's Mrs. Ryth?”

“She's great now,” Addison answered. “This, however,” she said pointing to the chart “Is Miss. Clark.”

Meredith arched her eyebrows.“Another case?”

“Yes. Bailey said I needed to start right away since I'll be away a week for the moving.” She concluded then turned her attention to the blonde. Waiting for a reaction.

“You're moving here?” Meredith said, stuck between shock, confusion, and a weird sort of excitement.

“What about the wooing?” She asked mockingly.

“Oh trust me, I've been wooed appropriately,” Addison answered sarcastically propping her hair up with an air of superiority.

Meredith laughed. “Well congratulations! We should celebrate.”

She got up and opened the fridge. There was a bottle of wine, orange juice and some milk. They couldn't drink on the job and the other options were sad. A thoughts came into her head. She checked the grill. As always there was an almost full pot of hot chocolate.

She smiled and poured them two glasses.

When she turned Addison had gotten up, she was smiling. Meredith handed her the hot chocolate.

“Welcome Back!” she said clinking their glasses jokingly.

“Thank you Dr. Grey I feel so flattered.” Addison laughed.

They took a sip and then almost spit it all out when they both started laughing simultaneously

\------------ ------------

It was night time. Maggie had texted her saying that she had picked her children up from daycare and that she'd find dinner ready.

She was so grateful she could head home right away.

She took her keys out and opened her car.

“Meredith!”

She turned around. Addison was making her way toward her.

“Hey!” she said

“Are you heading out?”

“Yes” Meredith answered.  
  


“Well I'll see you tomorrow then.”

Then Addison did something that surprised her completely. She leaned in and gave her a quick hug.

Meredith responded briefly and then it was over.

She felt warm. So warm. Her hand was still on Addison's arm.

Their gaze met. Green meeting blue. Something was happening. Before either of them could realize what they were doing, their lips met.

And everything suddenly fit into pieces. Why it was so easy between them. The nervousness, the avoidance, the excitement.

Their tongues were dancing together, slowly, enjoying the perfect moment.

A cough.“Well!”

They quickly bolted away from each other.

“This is development!” Amelia continued smiling at 360°.

they both opened their mouth to talk.

“I'll wait in the car!” The brunette grabbed the keys from Meredith's hand and entered the vehicle.

The blonde swallowed. “ Well I'll see you tomorrow,” she said without actually looking at the other woman. They both had starstruck look on their faces.

“Yes, I'll see you.”

She got in the car.

“Not a word,” she warned before Amelia could try to say anything.

She turned the engine on.

What a weird day it had been.

For some reason, she couldn't stop smiling.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thank you all for the support and wonderful comments on the previous chapter. It took me a while (It's a new year now, lol) but here is another part.
> 
> I think I've got some cool ideas, but I'm not sure about expanding this. Please be a little patient.
> 
> English isn't my first language. Every mistake is mine. I don't own anything.  
> Enjoy! Please comment to let me know what you think and leave a kudos!

“Stop!”

Meredith yelled for the third time that morning.

Amelia kept playing with the radio's joystick. Tired, Meredith swatted her hand away.

“How old are you exactly again?”

“Older than you apparently” Amelia answered.

“Second grade answers, very mature. Are you gonna stick out your tongue next?”

“I just might.”

“Okay, why don't we all take a deep breath?”Maggie asked.

“Auntie Maggie, why are they fighting?.”

Maggie smiled at Bailey, She had chosen to sit behind with the children to not irritate her two sisters further, but they didn't need her help for that.

She started tickling him a bit. “They're just being _very_ silly.”

Bailey laughed.

“You really are, by the way,” she stated.

“Being silly?” Amelia mocked.

“ You had a fight! So what? Get over it and act like the adults you're supposed to be!”

“I'm not the one in denial!”

Meredith huffed.“Oh, _I'm_ the one in denial? You're ridiculous.”

“You smooched Addie!”

“Well, I'm pretty sure you slept with Altman.”

“Oh please. Now, who's the child?”

“You're deflecting,” Meredith said smugly

“No, I'm not.”

“Tell us what happened then!”

“Nothing happened, which is not something _you_ can say!”

“That is not what I'm saying.” Meredith clarified

“So you're admitting _something_ happened,”

“Well you were there, you saw it, _I'm_ not stupid enough to deny the obvious.” She said not taking her eyes off the road.

“However the same can't be said for you” Meredith mocked repeating the brunette's earlier words.

Amelia huffed.

Maggie rolled her eyes at the both of them. It was going to be a long day.

\------------ ------------

“I'm telling you, they're acting like idiots. Three days ago we had the 'sister-vention', It was the worst experience of my life!”

Alex laughed.

“Three days of silence and then, BOOM! Suddenly they can't _stop_ talking to each other!”

“You just have to give them some space.” the other doctor helpfully told her.

“We live in the same house! _Nobody_ is _allowed_ space!”

“Look denial is only effective for so long, soon they'll realize they're being stupid, and all will be well again! Now can you please give me some fries?”

“Take them all!” Maggie said before getting up.

“Chicks be crazy...”

\------------ ------------

“He did that?”

“Yes! He's got this huge obsession with plane wings and he tried to carve as many as he could _into_ the wall. I have no idea how to repair the damage.”

Meredith laughed loudly. “ Well, he seems like a very creative kid. We should organize a play date, Bailey can tell him all about lions!”

Addison snorted and laughed along, smiling widely _,_ her white teeth shining. She looked beautiful, Meredith thought.

“Yes, that's exactly what they need, something else to go crazy about.”

Meredith took a sip of her coffee and nodded.

“When is your surgery again?”

“Fifteen minutes.”

“Well, I guess I'm gonna have to let you go then. Saving lives, Oaths, and all that.”

Meredith smiled.

“Your case it's not that boring.”

“Have you looked at her chart? It's the smallest I've ever had. It's so light and easy to lift. I'm not used to it.”

Addison started juggling to prove her point. The chart fell on the floor after the second attempt.

They both busted into laughter.

“You got my point.”

“I did.”

This was easy. Light conversations about everything and nothing. No complicated feelings involved. It had taken Meredith by surprise just _how easy_ it had been between them these past few days.

They knew each other and most importantly they understood each other. She had realized Addison was one of those few people left who knew her before. Before she was a mother, a wife, a sister.

The smiling exchange was interrupted when Amelia and Bailey entered the room. The latter sporting her non-nonsense face on.

That wasn't good.

The first went directly to the coffee machine and practically slammed the door of the cabinet.

“What's up with you today? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?”Addison asked, a mild worried expression on her face.

“Oh yes, she did. So she's going home.” Bailey answered.

“Bailey is escorting me. I'm being kicked out of the building.”

“Gently.” Bailey added, “I'm not about to kick your butt just yet.”

“What happened?” Addison asked getting up and going towards Amelia, who didn't answer, choosing to take a sip of her coffee instead. Addison turned towards Bailey expecting an explanation.

“What happened was Dr. Altman. As It turns us out two of my best surgeons aren't able to be in the same room without acting like petulant five-year-olds!”

Amelia opened her mouth to intervene.

“Petulant five-years-old!” Bailey repeated.

Meredith scoffed.

Amelia glared at her. “Have you got something to say, _sister?”_

“I'm not the I told you so type.”

“Sure you aren't.” The brunette walked out of the room.

“Nice,” Addison said to Meredith. The blonde doctor shrugged.

“I have some free time, I'll get her home.”

Bailey nodded.

“Wipe that look off your face and get into surgery Grey. Do I have to worry about you too?”

“No, you don't”

\------------ ------------

“This isn't like you, Amy!” Addison said following the other woman into the house and closing the door behind her.

“Don't you think I know that? She just gets on my nerves! Meredith doesn't help.” Amelia explained, wildly gesturing with her arms.

“Can you just tell me what's going on?”

“Sure, why don't you tell me what's going on between you and Meredith.”

Silence.

“Okay then, I'll see you at tonight's shift!” With that, she got to the stairs and started doing them two by two. Addison was left standing there, unsure what to do.

Deciding to give the woman space she walked out of the house and headed back to the hospital

\------------ ------------

“What did you do to my patient?” Meredith asked Alex accusingly.

“It's _my_ patient,” he said continuing to scrub out.

“Our patient whatever. Why didn't you page me?”

“He went into respiratory arrest, we freed the airway and it was fixed. Calm down!”

“You didn't have time to page me? Or ask someone else to do it?” Meredith kept inquiring. All the pent up frustration from the past three days heavy in her chest.

“No, I didn't,” He said raising his voice to her level. “And even if had, I wouldn't have because there was no need!”

“That's not up to you to decide! Alex!” Meredith tried again.

“You know what? Maggie's right. You're acting like a child, you've got the hots for Montgomery, and trying to hide it is making you all pissy and bitchy. So stop and go talk to her. To someone!”

He finished yelling and with his face, now red, he walked past her.

“What is it with everyone today?” Meredith yelled to herself.

\------------ ------------

“You're talking to Alex now?”

Maggie waited for her sister to join her at the cafeteria table before answering.

“Well, I can't talk to you, not that he's much more helpful anyway.”

“You guys are making this whole thing into this huge deal. It's small. Very small and it shouldn't affect work.”

Maggie stared at her.

“But _it is_ Meredith. It's affecting work and it is a big deal. You went silent for three days, you and Addison are walking on a thin line, made purely of avoidance, and Amelia was kicked out of the hospital today. So it's not that small _Meredith.”_

Meredith waited for her to finish. “You really needed to get that out, uh?”

Maggie threw her hands up. “Yes! You guys are making me crazy!”

“It's not like we're doing it on purpose, this is just the way we figure things out.”

Maggie frowned at her burger. Then looked at her sister. Her very smart, Catherine Fox award-winning sister, who was acting so very stupidly.

“That's really not healthy. Plus it's ruining my life” She said biting down on her burger. The situation making her hungry and frustrated.

“What are you guys talking about?” Jo asked as she and Jackson took place.

“Have you heard that Altman and Shepherd were kicked out?” Jackson asked.

“Teddy was kicked out too?” Meredith questioned.

The three nodded.

“Do you know if they'll be back? We've got heart transplant of a patient with a huge aneurysm in his brain tonight.”

“I don't know,” Maggie said. “ Maybe I'll scrub in on that, it might make me feel better.”

“Take Teddy out of the picture so that the guy has an actual chance to live?” Jo Joked, elbowing Jackson before they both started laughing and snorting.

Meredith smiled, but then she saw Maggie's frown.

“That's not funny guys,” she told them.

“Except it is,” Jackson said smiling.

“Whatever is going on with those two anyway? The nurses weren't very helpful this time.” Jo wondered, picking at her meat.

“Everyone noticed?” Maggie asked worriedly.

“Yes, I've heard some things. But Stephanie and Koracick were there when whatever happened, happened. They've been tight-lipped though.”

“Well, what did you hear?” Meredith asked, already planning on ambushing one of the two as soon as she could. That was what a good sister would do, right?

“God this entire hospital is _such_ a gossip!” Maggie claimed angrily.

“Gossip is a good thing! It's information!” Jo chided in

“It's private business on everybody's faces,” Maggie responded accusingly.

“Well,” Jackson started “What I heard Is,” He said wiggling his eyebrows at Maggie who rolled her eyes at his behavior. “- that something happened between them.” Jo kept looking at him questioningly. “Romantically.” He clarified.

“Shepherd and Altman?!” The young girl commented surprised. “Well, well, well.”

Then her face contorted, she revolted her attention towards the two other doctors. “Wait, don't you three live together? How do you _not_ know about this?” she pondered confusedly, voicing her thoughts.

“Amelia's been tight-lipped too,” Meredith told them. Next to her, Maggie snorted. “Like you've actually had a conversation long enough for anything to get out in the open.”

Meredith rolled her eyes. “ We were talking this morning, weren't we?”

“You were talking _at_ each other, not _to_ each other.” The dark-haired woman stated.

“How's that different?” Jackson asked curiously. Meredith nodded and pointed his fork at him as if that proved her point.

“I wasn't talking to you. Don't you have some burning people to help?”

“I do actually,” he said rolling his eyes and walking away.

“Well this was fun for one second,” Jo pointed out awkwardly. “I'll see you in the OR Meredith.”

The blonde only answer was a curt nod.

“You really need to work on this mood you know?” Meredith informed lifting her tray and getting up.

“I know!”

\------------ ------------

The doors of the elevator opened revealing Addison. Meredith begrudgingly walked in, all tension between them forced to reside in that little space.

She could hear Alex and Amelia's voice in her ear bugging her to do something. Then Maggie's voice, talking about lines, denial, and healthy coping mechanism.

She huffed, walking and positioning herself on the opposite as the redhead.

Addison turned to look at her. She seemed like she wanted to say something, but then she scoffed and gave up, turning away.

The ride seemed so slow. Meredith felt like the silence was suffocating.

Suddenly Addison stepped forward and reached the stop button, hitting it, seemingly irritated.

Towards who was unclear yet.

“Why are you fighting with Amelia?” her tone appeared judging and accusatory. Meredith didn't like it one bit.

“We aren't” She started clenching her jaw tightly.

“Then why were you so mean to her this morning?” Addison insisted angry and worried.

“I wasn't” Meredith could feel her anger reaching the brink of her control. Who was she to question her? Just because they kissed once and been trying to act civilly towards each other, it didn't mean Addison was free to criticize her and her judgment. At least five other people were doing it for her.

“Two-worded answer, Wow! This almost feels like an actual conversation!” Addison taunted.

“I don't owe you an explanation!” Meredith's exploded. She was done holding back, she didn't have a patient bone left in her entire body.

“She's my sister!” The redhead contested offended.

“Mine too!”Meredith replied outraged, “That doesn't make it your business!”

“Excuse me?” Addison scoffed, taken back from the other doctor's remarks.

“It doesn't!” The brunette insisted. “It's my business, my headache. Mine and Amelia's. Maybe Maggie's too. No one else's.”She persisted angrily. “And I'm sick and tired of people acting like it isn't. Mind your own damn business!” She concluded, waves of anger and frustration coming out of her words.

“Fine,” Addison sneered. She hit the stop button again.

“Fine,” Meredith repeated.

Both their faces the incarnation of animosity. The door opened and Meredith rushed out, feeling worse than when she had entered.

This day was turning out to be terrible.

\------------ ------------

Things started to take a different turn in the afternoon. When two helicopters crashed on the roof of a building and collided together. The ER was a mess doctors running around everywhere, nurses overwhelmed by the number of incoming patients. One intern ended up breaking down on the floor and passing out. Two paramedics run into an accident in the parking lot.

Meredith was in and out of surgery in a never-ending loop.

Bailey looked like she might be having another heart attack.

Everybody was called in to help.

She had just finished scrubbing out of OR 3, when a second-year resident, of which she did _not_ remember the name, came running towards her. After almost falling to the ground from the fatigue he told her, “They..need you in OR1 Dr. Grey, there were some complications with Dr. Montgomery's patient.”

She didn't stay in the hallway enough to see if he actually got up again.

She scrubbed in, thinking that her hands were gonna fall off by the end of the day.

When she entered Addison was almost face deep into the patient's belly.

“Karev, come over here immediately.” Alex made his way to her, neonatal intubation kit in his hands.

“Where is all this blood coming from?” Meredith asked after the nurse had finished with her gloves.

“She's crashing!”

“Hang two more units of blood!”

  
“That won't help, we need to stop the bleeding and find this damn cloth!”

“V-fib!”

“WE KNOW!”

They tried again and again to revive the patient. But There was nothing that could be done.

The beep of the monitor was the only sound in the room apart from Alex, manually pumping oxygen into the baby.

“Time of death eight Fourth-nine pm,” Addison called, taking off her gloves.

“How's the baby?”

“I've got a pulse, it's not strong but it's there.”

“Good,” the redhead said, before getting out of the O.R.

“Alex, have you got this?” She asked, knowing that if he needed her she would stay. No matter the fact that every fiber of her being was telling her not to. She should probably be worried about much it affected her seeing Addison upset.

“Go! I've got this.”

She found Addison in the empty x-ray room. Face leaning against the wall, hands covering her eyes.

“I'm fine,” clearly a lie since it was followed by two sobs.

It was clear she was trying to be quiet. But her body shook with every tear.

Meredith stepped forward, leaning beside her, looking ahead.

“I'm not. I don't expect you to be either.”

Addison closed her eyes.

“I'm being silly.”

“Because your patient died? I don't think so. You're a good doctor Addison.”

The redhead turned then, she too now staring at the opposite wall.

“This day keeps getting worse.” She said trying to smile, but failing miserably.

“Yeah,” Meredith said. “It does.”

“I'm sorry about the fight in the elevator.” The blonde continued. “It wasn't about you, I was angry and I was trying to keep it in, I did until I didn't.” She said, this time turning her head towards the other woman.

“Yeah,” Addison acknowledged her, mirroring her movement, “I'm sorry too.”

They stayed like that, contemplating each other, and for the first time that day, the silence was peaceful and welcomed by both.

They were close, closer than they had been since that night in the parking lot. Meredith could almost count the freckles on Addison's nose. The dim light of the room allowed them to feel safer, less exposed.

Their gaze turned more intense, Addison smiled, moving her head, now it was almost hanging down.

“I've been in surgery for the last...” she chuckled “I don't know how many hours.”

Addison's smile intensified, she met her eyes again.

“Coffee?” Meredith asked.

“That sounds great actually,” The other answered, blinking twice, trying to shake off whatever had taken over her. “Let's get out of here.”

\------------ ------------

“So then Zola asks why we can't just go visit the tooth fairy instead of the dentist since _she_ thinks she'd be _much_ better. Of course, Bailey agrees with her, and Amelia and Maggie are of absolutely no help when the kids look at them with the sad eyes.”

She sighs, “So now I think I might actually have to convince Dr. Poldes to put wings on”

They're both laughing by the time she's finished.

They sit down on the bench just outside the hospital. There's no visible moon in the sky, it's too cloudy for that.

There's not much light, but they don't need it.

There's a lot of space, the bench is clearly made for more than two people, but both of them are deliberately ignoring that.

They sit side by side, shoulders touching. Meredith puts her hand down on the bench, brushing against Addison's.

They both still at the contact.

Then they look at each other, trying not to shy away from the touch. Slowly Addison's fingers reach out to hers.

Meredith relaxes, somehow her caress is both calming and electrical, when she shivers, the cold of that night has little to do with it.

Addison's fingers are tracing the line of her hands, one finger comes to rest on her index.

Their eyes remain on each other.

Right there, days after it happened it hits Meredith.

They had kissed.

She can almost feel it.

The realization seems to suffocate her. For a moment that knowledge overwhelms her. But their hands are now joined together, the redhead thumb's is tracing circles against the back of her hand.

It soothes her, makes it so much easier for her mind to accept the situation.

While it's not her priority, since it would interrupt this peaceful moment, kissing Addison doesn't seem either a crazy nor too far away idea.

Somehow it makes sense.

The doors behind them open but neither of them makes any move to get up.

They're not ready for this quiet moment to end.

Turning their heads toward the sky they stay there for a little while more, holding hands, as long as time will allow them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Please leave comments and kudos they make my day! bye!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment and a kudos! Let me know if you think I should write more.


End file.
